Notre Dame rolling with depth in rushing game

Thursday

Oct 12, 2017 at 8:36 PM

Aaron Ferguson Journal Star prep sports reporter @sports_aaron

PEORIA — Notre Dame’s 1-3 football start may have been predictable after losing 3,600 yards from its backfield last season. The Irish (4-3) have won three straight thanks to a plethora of contributing running backs.

After losing backs Fred Dixson (transfer) and Alex Shaw (graduation) from a 6-4 team last season, Notre Dame coach Sean Gillen felt he had plenty of options. He didn’t expect to have five ball carriers with 300 or more yards.

“We knew that we had some young backs that had a lot of potential,” said Gillen. “I don’t know if we imagined that they’d come out the way that they have."

“Fred always told me to work hard and just do whatever the coaches tell me to, and always work my butt off in practice to get to where I am,” Cover said.

Despite losing two key linemen in John Epley and Isaiah Ward, the Irish returned experience in Jett Schmitt and Tommy Driscoll. Epley and Ward left their mark on what Gillen said is a “veteran line.”

“They taught everybody what to expect and what to know when they play the offensive line,” Driscoll said.

Notre Dame held a 42-8 lead on Peoria High, but the Lions had an improbable comeback to win 82-80. That’s the difference between a playoff eligible Irish team on a four-game winning streak and a team needing a win Friday against Champaign Centennial to become playoff eligible.

The Irish are young and have had to grow up over the course of the season. Players have a great bond and strong work ethic.

“We go out to practice and everyone is so competitive that we’re practicing 110 percent every day,” Driscoll said. “We’re just going at each other, the starters against the starters, which is really helping us get on a nice roll.”

Notre Dame has focused on playing more guys one way. That’s a factor in averaging 50.0 points per game this year, up from 43.3 last season.

“It’s kind of like a basketball team getting hot on 3-point shots,” said Gillen. “If a guy is doing well that game, you keep him going up until the point you think he can’t go, you plug another guy in. With our system now of trying to get a platoon, our big thing is to have guys come in and be 100 percent. They do a lot more damage that way.”

Notre Dame limped to the finish last season and suffered a first-round loss to Washington in the Class 5A playoffs. The Irish believe they haven’t hit their peak yet this fall.

“I tell these guys all the time, ‘you learn more lessons from losses than in a win,’” Gillen said. “I told them that they’re going to peak at the right moment. Last year, I think we peaked too early and when we got to the playoffs we were on a down slope. This year, I think we keep getting better and we’re going to rise up.”

Aaron Ferguson can be reached at 686-3207 or aferguson@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @Sports_Aaron.